Market adoption of wireless LAN (WLAN) technology has exploded, as users from a wide range of backgrounds and vertical industries have brought this technology into their homes, offices, and increasingly into the public air space. This inflection point has highlighted not only the limitations of earlier-generation systems, but also the changing role that WLAN technology now plays in people's work and lifestyles across the globe. Indeed, WLANs are rapidly changing from convenience networks to business-critical networks. Increasingly users are depending on WLANs to improve the timeliness and productivity of their communications and applications, and in doing so, require greater visibility, security, management, and performance from their network.
When managing a wireless network, it is useful to have as much information as possible about each wireless network element, such as access points and wireless routing nodes. Such information may include, for example, location, elevation, power source, antenna type, antenna orientation, etc. One problem with procuring such information is that it is expensive to equip each wireless access point with the sensors and other functionality necessary to capture the information. Accordingly, a network administrator typically conducts a site survey manually to assess the physical location of the wireless elements, radio coverage and other performance attributes of the wireless elements. After desired network management information is collected, the administrator must then enter this information into a wireless network management system. This of course can be very time consuming and often error-prone.